The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) – Medical University of Bahrain announced the successful completion of a major digital transformation of its library.

The initiative marks a significant milestone in the University’s ongoing commitment to innovation, academic excellence and an enhanced student experience. The launch event was attended by Professor Sameer Otoom, President of RCSI Medical University of Bahrain, alongside selected members of the University’s Executive Committee and students.

Central to the transformation is the implementation of the Primo Next-Generation Discovery Environment (NDE). Originally introduced in January 2023, Primo provides a single, integrated search platform for books, e-books, journals, e-journals, articles, theses, dissertations, repositories and open-access resources. The upgraded NDE offers natural-language search, personalised recommendations, and an enhanced AI-enabled interface, enabling faster, more efficient discovery of academic resources tailored to the needs of students, faculty, clinicians and researchers.

In addition, LAIRA, an AI-powered research chatbot was introduced on the library’s website. LAIRA provides 24/7 research assistance, offering contextual guidance, real-time responses, and analytics-driven insights to support information discovery and research productivity.

Commenting on the transformation, Professor Sameer Otoom, President of RCSI Medical University of Bahrain, stated: “The digital transformation of the library reflects our strategic commitment to innovation in education and research. By integrating advanced online and AI-enabled platforms within our Library, we are enhancing access to knowledge, supporting academic excellence, and ensuring our students and faculty are equipped with the tools required to succeed in an evolving global academic environment.”

As part of its learning and teaching objectives, RCSI Medical University of Bahrain aims to strengthen students’ academic literacy skills and remains committed to supporting students in the ethical and responsible use of online resources and artificial intelligence.